Rock'n'Roll dominates BDO tour

ROCK’N’ROLL antics ruled the first Australian show of the 2011 Big Day Out tour at the Gold Coast Parklands on Sunday.

There were on-stage blow ups, stage rushes, mosh pits, pyrotechnics and even high-flying guitar playing at the 20th annual festival.

Airborne front man Joel O’Keefe shocked the crowd when he scaled the scaffolding of the Blue Stage and then played his guitar while dangling by one leg and one arm.

The Warrnambool native then slung his guitar on his back and nimbly climbed back down to continue the blaring set, which featured a two-metre high wall of amplifiers.

American hip hopper Lupe Fiasco was visibly angry after a false start to his afternoon set, storming off the stage and reportedly smashing a lap top.

When the sound problem was fixed, he then came back on stage and knocked a piece of equipment off the DJ table.

He followed the outburst with another stuff up, addressing the Gold Coast crowd as Brisbane.

The rapper then quickly composed himself for a set full of his hits including Superstar and Kick, Push as well as a song from his forthcoming album Lasers.

Punk rock pioneer Iggy Pop sent security staff scrambling when he invited the crowd to dance with him and ‘rush the stage’.

A handful of lucky punters joined the 63-year-old for one song before being ushered off stage .

As night fell on the Parklands, German hardcore band Rammstein turned up the heat with their explosive show, which featured fireworks, 10-metre high fire balls, rockets and a giant, foam-spewing cannon.

But the crown for the loudest set went to international headliners Tool, who could be heard well beyond the boundaries of the festival site.

Those who still had the energy stuck around for late-night sets by Grinderman, fronted by Nick Cave, Australian electronic duo PNAU and Sri Lankan hip hop artist MIA.

The Big Day Out continues in Sydney on Wednesday and Thursday (Jan 26 and 27), Melbourne on Sunday (Jan 30), Adelaide on February 4 and Perth on February 6.